Phi Theta Kappa

Alumni News

Phi Theta Kappa Alumnus Wes Moore Appears on
Time Magazine Cover

Phi Theta Kappa Alumnus Wes Moore will appear on the cover of the August 29 issue of Time Magazine as a representative of the new "greatest generation" of young war veterans.

Moore recently was a guest on Hardball with Chris Matthews to discuss the article and how military service affects soldier's lives when they become civilians. Watch the segment here.

Time's article discusses how veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning to civilian life and are assuming significant leadership roles at home as a result of their military experience.

"We all share a common bond ... some of the most organized, hard-charging, efficient, compassionate people that I have ever met in my life are fellow vets," Moore says in a video focusing on the five cover story subjects. Watch the video here. According to the video, Moore, a best-selling author and youth advocate, is scheduled to become an NBC contributor. He also appeared on Morning Joe.

In the article, Moore says the military literally changed his life. Sent to Valley Forge Military College as a rebellious teenager, he became a member of Phi Theta Kappa, took the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies course, and was company commander.

Moore graduated from Johns Hopkins University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. As a Captain in the U. S. Army, he served a combat tour of duty in Afgahistan with the 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division in 2005-2006.

Following his service, Moore was chosen as a White House Fellow and was a Special Assistant to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

His book, The Other Wes Moore, tells the story of two young men with the same name and background, and examines why they took different paths - Phi Theta Kappa's Wes Moore's success is contrasted with the other Wes Moore, serving a life sentence for murder.

Formerly with Citibank, Moore is now developing educational-technology products for Oprah Winfrey, according to Time. He has served as a Phi Theta Kappa Annual Convention speaker and panelist, and as a speaker for the Honors Institute. He is a Phi Theta Kappa Foundation Trustee.

The Times article tells of Moore's mentoring for first-time younf offenders in Baltimore and his career as a motivational speaker for high school students. The sense of accomplishment and training provided by the miltiary led him to a career of public service, he says in the article.

"I came back a stronger person, a person really able to contribute to society, in many ways even more than I was prior to by deployment," Moore says in the video.

"Wes is an amazing person, whose life story effectively illustrates teh value of completing an education and setting goals for success," said Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director Dr. Rod Risley. "He has become a role model not only to disadvantaged young people, but to so many of our Phi Theta Kappa members."

Phi Theta Kappa Alum Studies in Thailand

In 2009, David graduated from Snead State Community College with an Associate's Degree in Business. He was the president of Theta Iota, the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Snead State in Boaz, AL, and a recipient of the 2009 All-Alabama Academic Team award. He received a Phi Theta Kappa transfer scholarship to attend Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) where he will complete his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration this summer. David's last course will be completed in a study abroad program at Payap University located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This incredible opportunity is the result of two very generous scholarships. David was awarded the Gilman Scholarship from the US Department of State and a Sklenar Center scholarship from his home college.

When asked about the role Phi Theta Kappa played in his college choice, David says "I first visited BSC when they hosted a Phi Theta Kappa honor's symposium. I knew the college was the kind of prestigious college I wanted to attend, and I haven't been disappointed." Now David is in Thailand as a direct result of his Phi Theta Kappa scholarship to Birmingham-Southern and BSC's generous scholarship to study abroad. While in Thailand David is blogging about his experiences.

You can follow David's blog at http://web.me.com/dmhunter.jr/Thailand/Blog/Blog.html

2011 Ms. Wheelchair Alabama
Shannon Roberts

Athens State Senior Named Ms. Wheelchair Alabama

Athens, AL - Shannon Roberts, a senior majoring in psychology at Athens State University, was crowned the 2011 Ms. Wheelchair Alabama at the annual pageant Saturday in Birmingham. The outgoing Ms. Wheelchair Alabama was Joanne Pearson, also an Athens State University student. In the exciting ceremony, Pearson was able to crown her own fellow student.

“I have always admitted the words of Henry Ford – ‘Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.’ – and that is how I set my mind to do something,” remarked Roberts.

The Ms. Wheelchair Alabama pageant is sponsored by the Ms. Wheelchair Alabama Foundation. Their website states, “Ms. Wheelchair Alabama Foundation, much like Ms. Wheelchair America, will have many opportunities to help others during her reign. Making public appearances, giving interviews to the media and speaking to individuals who, like herself, utilize a wheelchair for mobility, are among some of her duties. The Ms. Wheelchair America Program participants serve as an inspiration for everyone, without regard to physical limitation.”

Athens State Assistant Professor of Management Dr. Kim LaFevor was on hand to support Roberts and other students involved in the pageant. “I am so proud of these women,” stated LaFevor. “To make the news even more spectacular, I learned that Former Athens State graduate Amanda McBay was the 2008 recipient of this honor and I had the fortune to meet her after the program.”

Roberts, who expects to graduate from Athens State in 2012, is originally from Harvest and currently works as a work-study student in Athens State’s Office of Career Placement and Cooperative Education.

Phi Theta Kappa
Alabama Region